Hailstorm

'Hailstorm'

When using flash you can capture these ”orbs” of light where the raindrops fall, usually in perfect little spheres. I used the same method to capture the heavy fall of hail and was thankfully protected by a small, high eave above me. The wind turned shortly after this photo and began to pelt me with hard hailstones so fearing damage to the camera I retreated.

Within 5 minutes, the springtime hail had all but melted, leaving little evidence of recent deluge. A by-product of the thunderous storm, hail is literally frozen rain formed rapidly. They begin as small flakes (snow) and accumulate further flakes and ice, bonding on the way down the updraft but without further warming to transform the ice back into liquid.